1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an accelerometer assembly and more particularly to an accelerometer used as a sensor for a motor vehicle occupant protection system.
2. Description of Related Art
Accelerometers are well known in the industry of electronic motor vehicle crash sensing. Accelerometers used as crash sensors produce an electrical signal corresponding to the linear acceleration and deceleration of the accelerometer along a sensing axis. Generally, systems requiring linear acceleration to be measured with respect to multiple axes use multiple accelerometers. Typically, each accelerometer has its sensing axis aligned with the axes of the coordinate system in which the acceleration is to be measured. To measure a three-dimensional acceleration vector, three accelerometers are used, with each accelerometer having a sensing axis oriented 90° relative to the sensing axis of the other two accelerometers.
Typically, custom packaging is designed to mount or house accelerometers having different sensing axis orientations. However, for reduced cost and enhanced ease of use it may be desirable to utilize common components and mounting for accelerometer assemblies with different sensing axis orientations.
In view of the above, it is apparent that there exists a need for an improved accelerometer assembly.